The Path to War: How the First World War Created Modern America

Readers might be confused by the subtitle of this book from Neiberg (history, U.S. Army War Coll., PA; Dance of the Furies), as the author doesn't explore how World War I shaped U.S. development. Rather, he focuses on proving that American motivation for entering the war was complex and nuanced. Many traditional histories posit the view that the United States was duped into supporting the war through a combination of propaganda, economic self-interest, and President Woodrow Wilson's idealism. Neiberg explores two neglected aspects. First, Americans believed Germany presented an existential threat in the wake of incidents such as the Zimmerman telegram. Second, people from diverse ethnic backgrounds wanted to prove that their primary identity was with the United States and felt that getting behind the effort was a way to express their patriotism. Neiberg believes Americans made a rational choice to fight Germany.